Sunderland defender Trai Hume admits schedule taking its toll after Hungary stalemate | OneFootball

Sunderland defender Trai Hume says Northern Ireland’s demanding international run is starting to bite after Monday’s 0-0 draw with Hungary kept their Nations League Group B2 unbeaten start intact. He felt fatigue crept in late on.

According to Sunderland Echo, Hume felt the travel had played its part after a long outbound journey and an overnight return. Northern Ireland had won 1-0 in Tbilisi on Friday following a six-and-a-half-hour flight to Georgia.

Manager Michael O’Neill also noted tiredness, saying the closing stages became a contest between two sides feeling a heavy schedule.

Despite that, Hume pointed to positives, including getting into dangerous areas and delivering crosses. He felt the missing ingredient was a touch of quality in the final pass or more bodies in the box, and added that a young squad would aim to improve.

Patrick Kelly had two first-half chances and Isaac Price a late opening, but the breakthrough did not come. The squad were granted recovery time before switching focus to Ukraine in Trnava, Slovakia, on Friday. Northern Ireland are only halfway through a four-game international run and Hume hopes sharper work in the final third can follow, while accepting Ukraine will be a tough test.

Source: Sunderland Echo

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